My beloved Barney has gone to heaven

[crazylittlebunny]

I lost my beloved Barney back in September. I didn’t post anything until now because I wanted some time for myself and to grieve.

I noticed one evening that barney did not eat his breakfast from earlier that morning which was odd considering he was always crazy about food. So I called they vet and got him in for a same day emergency appointment. After some testing, it was found that Barney was going into GI stasis but the vet said it was caught really early and gave me medicine to keep his gut moving.

Well later that night I noticed that barney was straining so the next morning he was brought back to the vet and it was discovered that he had developed a blockage. The vet told me that he would have to stay the weekend and they would work to get that blockage out and give him more meds in order to continue fighting against the GI stasis. Monday morned came around and I get a call from the vet saying that the blockage was gone, barney was eating and drinking and doing really well, and that I could come and bring him home. It made me happy that things seemed to be getting better.

However, Tuesday morning when I went to feed critical care and give him his medicine, I noticed that barney was on the decline and looked to be straining again. I was about to call the vet to make another emergency appointment but before i could pick up my phone the unthinkable happened. Barney suddenly lost all sense of balance and couldn’t walk properly and for a moment was actually dragging his back legs. He then collapsed and started screaming. his body went limp and he took his final breath. I tried to perform CPR but I couldn’t get him back and he died in my arms that day.

Anyone know what could have caused this to happen?? It looked like he was doing so well and then catastrophe. I’m absolutely devastated and even now still cry pretty hard while holding the urn containing Barneys ashes. I miss him so much and wish he was still here physically with me.

 

[DanaNM]

I’m so sorry for your loss and that you had to experience such a traumatic passing. 🙁

It is thought that when they scream in the final moments like that they have already lost consciousness, so it may be slightly comforting that he was probably not in a great deal of pain.

Did you discuss this with your vet? I know he has already been cremated, but sometimes they will do a necropsy in cases like this to try to determine the cause. It almost sounds like a stroke or a heart attack, but this is really just a guess.

It’s impossible to know, but I wonder if something very serious was wrong that triggered the stasis. Stasis is often a symptom rather than a disease, so it can mask something else going on. Or whatever is happening can present like stasis and then suddenly the bun “crashes”. Because rabbits are especially good at hiding symptoms, serious problems often present like less serious problems, and then the bun suddenly declines.

When I had a bun die in similar fashion, it really helped me to write down positive memories of him. I kept replaying his final traumatic moments in my mind over and over and writing down the positive memories helped me remember him as I knew him before. Again I’m so sorry for your loss.  <3

(((Binky free Barney)))

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[crazylittlebunny]

The vet did tests and x-rays and stuff but never mentioned anything more than the fact that Barney was going in GI stasis and there was gas built up in the GI tract so if there was something else going on, the vet wasn’t able to find and properly diagnose it and in his final moments he was showing signs that he was in quite a bit of pain and after his passing, my mom (in a private conversation between me and her) accused the vet clinic of purposely sending Barney home to die.

The vet called about 4 or 5 days later for an update on how barney was doing and when I told them what happened the vet was really confused as to how any of this could have happened but never mentioned to me about having a necropsy performed and having one done never actually crossed my mind because I was so sad and upset and couldn’t think straight.

[Bam]

I’m so sorry you lost Barney.

I dont think your vets sent him home to die. They treated the blockage, and once his intestines were working again, they released him.

This doesnt mean there was no connection between the blockage and his passing. I generally believe vets really want the best for their animal patients, but even assuming they’re only in it for the money, if they had suspected sth more was amiss, it would’ve been a lot more profitable for them to keep treating him.

I’m very sorry you had to experience those screams. I have too. It’s beyond horrible. As Dana says, it’s believed that the bun is nolonger concious in this agonal phase.

Again, Im so sorry.

Binky free, Barney.

 

 

[crazylittlebunny]

I agree and don’t think thats what happened either. My mom loved barney too so I think it was just her grief coping mechanism??

[DanaNM]

I agree with Bam, and your assessment of your mom was probably correct too. Everyone deals with grief in different ways, and anger and blaming are a common phase of grief.  I do think that the vet did their best and honestly it sounds like most vets would have done the same. When a bun is stable and recovering, it would have been unusual for them to keep him as he was improving (and probably would have seemed like a “money grab” from the outside).

I don’t know how common it is for vets to suggest a necropsy, I just had a vet that did with one of my buns that died very suddenly (after presenting like he needed a molar trim). Even with the necropsy they couldn’t find anything wrong, so it may not have given any answers anyway.

Again I am so sorry for your loss. Sending peace to you and your mom in this very sad time.

One thing that helped me a lot after the loss of my bun Bertha a few years ago was to foster some bunnies for a while. I wasn’t ready to adopt again right away, but having the fosters around really helped me (and it helped them get adopted as well). I know a lot of shelters look for extra fosters during the holidays, so it could be something to consider.

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

I’m so sorry for your loss, what an awful way to lose him 😢

It’s not very common to do a necropsy after a rabbit has died suddenly. When we lost Breintje last year the whole vet team was shocked, and they talked it over and went through all his files to see if they’d missed a sign.

They didn’t propose a necropsy though, and from what I’ve heard so far necropsies rarely give an answer to the questions.

It’s very tough dealing with a traumatic experience like this, and you can expect every emotion from people. Your mum’s anger and suspicion is common too. I hope that you can help each other with the grieving process.

Binky free, sweet Barney!

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